Mental Health Advance Directives

In 2004, Pennsylvania enacted legislation (Act 194) that provides the opportunity for individuals living with mental illness to create a Mental Health Advance Directive (MHAD) and plan ahead for mental health services and supports in the event they become unable to make decisions for themselves. A MHAD offers a clear written statement of an individual’s mental health treatment preferences or other expressed wishes or instructions should they become incapacitated. It can also be used to assign decision-making authority to another person who can act on that person’s behalf during times of incapacitation.

Or download PDFs of the MHAD forms that you can fill in on your computer and save and share as PDFs. Please review the instructions before completing the forms and be aware that some of the fields are required.